Sussex Wing ATC Win Prince of Wales Award

The second of four prestigious awards was presented by HM Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex – Peter Field at a special event last week.

The Prince of Wales’s Expeditionary Awards highlight the very best in leadership, challenge, courage and planning. The annual awards are selected from over one hundred Cadet and Reservist expeditions supported by The Ulysses Trust, whose patron is HRH the Prince of Wales. Each recipient receives a certificate which is signed by HRH The Prince of Wales.

The winner of the Cadet Category was Exercise INCAN ADVENTURE. This expedition was undertaken by 24 cadets and 8 staff from Sussex Wing ATC who traveled to Peru in August 2018.

This ambitious exercise was undertaken during the RAF 100 celebration year. During the exercise cadets participated in a community project, prior to undertaking a high-altitude trekking expedition.

Led by Flt Lt Dave Hill, the detailed planning and preparation saw an application and selection process of potential members. During which cadets were assessed on social skills, and teamwork, culminating in a community project that regenerated the garden of a local retirement home. The successful candidates then undertook a training weekend in the Peak District followed by leadership training at the RN Leadership Academy in Portsmouth. In addition to a series of funding days in which they raised money towards the expedition.

The expedition left for Peru in 2 tranches, with initial acclimatization followed by the construction project of a toilet block at the Azu Wasi Orphanage. Following this the cadets undertook a 5 day 75km trekking expedition on the Salkantay trail. Post expedition the cadets were successfully awarded their ATC Silver Leadership badges, and are in the process of finishing off their Institute of Leadership and Management Level 3 Award in Team Leading and Motivation.

The presentation took place on Tuesday 22nd October 2019 at the Sussex HM Lord-Lieutenant’s Award Ceremony 2019 at Christ’s Hospital, Sussex. The event was organised by the South East Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association.

The Ulysses Trust was represented at the event by its Operations Director, Squadron Leader Kev O’Brien RAF who read the citation prior to the presentation

This expedition was supported by a RAF Charitable Trust grant of £8,273 awarded to The Ulysses Trust to support this expedition.